PSI in Care Homes – Research Evidence

PSI (FaME) was always designed and evidenced for working with those who live in their own homes. But as many of you know, we give chair based starting alternatives to every exercise and frailer people can make a start with the programme. Sophie Thomas, a PSI doing her degree in Brighton, chose to do her dissertation on the benefits of PSI in a care home setting. Although small numbers, many of the residents had progressive neurological disorders and were frail. She showed that 3/6 had clinically important improvements in Berg Balance Scale and 2/6 in ConfBal. Great feedback from residents and staff. You can read the abstract and look at her presentation below.

Megan Groombridge, another PSI also working with Sophie in the care home did her dissertation on other outcomes within the group and showed that STS and TUG times were quicker, although these were not significant, The interview with the care home manager suggests a positive impact on residents.

Also, just below these, is a link to the paper written many years ago on PSI delivered in a Merton Care Home and qualitative feedback from residents then. Perhaps we need a full trial on this 🙂 We already know PSI works for low and high risk community dwelling fallers, it would be good to see if it reduced falls in this setting too. Thanks Sophie.